Well-screen-eorming device



M. E. LAYN WELL SCREEN FORMING DEvE Qin/amati@ July 8 1924. 1,500,830

M. E. I AYNE WELL SCREEN FORMING DEVICE Filed April 19, 1923 4 sheets-sheet 2 July 8 1924.

M. E. LAYNE WELL SCREEN FQRMING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES MAHLON E. LAYNE, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

PATENT oF-FICE.

Applieation mea April 1e, 1923. Semin. 633,085:

It is an object of the invention to provide a device adapted tobe lowered into a well casing and manipulated from'the well surface and vertically translated to form verf tical rows of relatively spaced screen apertures with the rows circularly spaced at predetermined intervals. p y

Another object is kto provide ,a device capable of simultaneously forming a plu rality of screen apertures. n

Another object is to provide a device which is particularly adaptable for use in connection with double wall kwell-screens in which the inner wall is provided with vertical rows ofholes with which the device cooperates, and an outer wall normally closing said holes and in some instances scored or split in the region of .each hole to facilitate a perforating operation.

Various other objects and advantages vwill be more fully apparent from the following description of the accompanying draw-` ings which form a part of this disclosure, and which illustrate a preferred .form o embodiment of the invention. Of the drawings: p u i Figure l isa vertical'section of a well screenv with my screen forming device being lowered therein. i

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the'device in section andy its parts in position of operation. y y Fig. 3 is an elevation of the device looking at the. left hand side of Fig. .1.l

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. vl. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a view similarto Fig. 2, of a modified form of device.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a view Ysimilar to Fig. .2, 0f another modification.

Figi) is an elevation of theA device shown in Fig.r4 8, `l'ookingat the lefthand side of Fig lOis a section on line 10H10 of Fig. y11 is a section on line ll-.ll'of Fig. 8. f

Fig. 12 is a sectionv on' line 1212 of Fig. 8. f

Fig. 13 is a lsection on line 134-13 of Fig. 8. n n

The device herein referred to is 'especial ly adaptable for use in the formation of y Awell screens which are manufactured with ynormally closed screen apertures to be subsequently opened after the screen is positioned in a` well bore at the desired point ofr production, and is more particularly i adapted for use in the formationof double wall wellscreens in which an inner apertured casing functions as a means of positively guiding the device in a perforating operation to open screen apertures yin the outer wall or casing.

In making and installing well screens of this general character it has .heretofore hydraulic or explosive pressure7 but such methodsr arek objectionable, first for the kreason thatA .inA producing*k a pressure ywithin the casing of .a degree lsufficient to open the screenk apertures, and especially in the use of explosives there yis great danger ofinjury tothe well casing, it havrfing been found thatin some cases the explosioniwas so sharpk as to open or stretch vthe connecting couplings to such an extent that when attempting ,to lift kthe casing the couplings would slip oif ther threads of the casing sections,andk second for the reason rthat the degree to whichy the screen aperso Y been proposed tofopen the screen apertures" f tures are opened cannot be accurately deterl mined or controlled, forinstance those screenapert'ures which happen 'to be adjacent hard formations will not be opened,

at least not to the same extent as those adjacent softer formations. n' With the herein described device, the

screen apertures are positively opened to a `predetermined degreeregardless of the nature of the formation contacting the various portions thereof. the present 'device it becomes possible to open the screen aperturestoa limited extent inthe first instance and to subsequent- 1y farther Lopen said apertures as conditions And further, with 2li, each spring extending through an aperture in the respective stud 23 with its free ends projecting between spaced pins 25 on the adjacent pawl. (See Figs. 2 and 5.)

In the operation of a device of the above described character in forming a well screen, the device is lowered into the well as shown in Fig. 1. During such initial lowering of the device the punch members or pawls 22 occupy the position shownrin z' saidA figure, the vsprings 24 yieldingly urg- Having said pawls against the casing.

ing been lowered tothe region of the screen, the device is rotated, or otherwise manipulated until the studs 16 of the locator wheels register with one of the vertical rows of'holes 2 in the inner casing 1, this engagement or" the studs 16 into said holes being automatic by reason of the locator wheels being constantly urged outwardly by the springs 19. o

IV ith the locator studs 16 meshing into the holes 2, the device is then pulled upwards, the 'free ends of the several punch members or` toggle pawls 22 simultaneously engaging through the holes2 in the inner casing 1 and forcing theftongues 6 of theV outer casing outwardly as said pawls 'assume a horizontal. position. (See Fig. 2.) In this manner the tongues Vare bent outwardly away troni the holes 2 in the inner casing, completing the formationfoit as many screen apertures as there `are pawls in the device. v(Seven with the device" herein shown). To form a second group loi screen apertures in the same row. the device may be lowered below the first group and then elevated in the manner above described., or the device may if desired be first elevated above the first group and then forced downward. i

This operation is repeated until a `full row of screen apertures is completed after which the device will be elevated or lowered to an unperforated portion of the inner casing and subsequently rotated slightly to disalign the pawls and locator wheels relative to the holes in the inner casing. The device can then be translated to thepertorated portion of theinner casing and ythen rotated to bring the locating wheels into mesh with the next row of holes after which thedevice is manipulated as previously explained, 'to form the next rows of screen apertures. Vilith a device having opposed sets of pawls as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 operated in connection with ascreen having four vertical rows of holes, (see Fig. 5) this completes the tore rmation of the screen.

In Figs. 6 and 7 is shown a modilied torni of structure in which ris provided'a single series of punchr members or pawls 26 which are connected by bars 27 to act in unison, said bars being connected 'to opposed springs 28 which tend to urge the pawls to zontal position.

In the operation of this form of device it will at once'be understood that`r only one row of screen apertures can be engaged at a time and that with a screen having four vertical Lrows of holes it will be necessaryv to separately engage each row. f

In Figs. 8 to 13 thereis shown another modiiied form of device having` 'four groups a device which in `one operation is capable of forming four rows of screen apertures. In" this form yof device the bodyhas an up'- perportion Jformed of two plates 31 between which the locating wheel or roller` 32 is positioned, and a lower body portion formed of four relatively spaced angle irons 33 securedtoa four-wing member 34' which in a horiof punchmembers or pawlsr v30, providing turnk is secured between the lower ends of f Vthe plates 31,V the lower ends oit the angle;

irons 33 being maintained in spaced relation byspacing members 35 andbolts 36.

Rotatably mounted kbetween the lower. ends of the angle irons are tour guide rollers 3'? which engage the well casing and.

maintain the `device centrally positioned therein, The pawls 30 are pivote-d on studs 38 and are connected by bars 39, opposed 1 springs i0 .being connected to the opposite ends of thebars andtothe body and tending to yieldingly urgethe pawls to a horizontal position. It 'is thus seen thatthe rstuds 38 mounting the pawls 30 are held rigidly in ,a ldefinite spaced relation and thereby the diametrically opposed pawlsO are in effect toggle members. ,p f e yWhile well adapted to tullill the objects primarily set forth it is toibe understood i l that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various other `iforms, all'coming within theV scope of the following claims.

Iclaim: i

.y 1. A well-screen formingdevice' including a body adapted to be longitudinally 'translated in a 'double-wall wellcasing having longitudinal rows of holes in itsH inner wall, diainetrically disposed rtoggle memy bers carried by the body and adapted to ezfztend beyond. the wall of the inner easing when in horizontal position, said members cooperating with the walls ol said holes during a longitudinal translation of the device to form screen apertures 1n the outer casing wall.

`during a longitudinal translation of the device to simultaneously7 form a plurality of screen apertures in the outer casing wall.

3; A well-screen forming device including a body adapted to be longitudinally translated in a double-wall well casing having longitudinal rows of holes in its inner wall, a plurality ot' diametrically disposed superposed pawls pivoted in the body to swing vertically above and below a horizontal position and adapted when in horizontal position to extend beyond the inner casing wall, said pawls cooperating with the walls of said holes during a longitudinal translation of the -device to simultaneously form a plurality of screen apertures in the outer casing wall.

t. A well-screen Jforming device including a body adapted to be longitudinally translated in a double-wall well casing having longitudinal rows of holes in its inner' wall, diametrically disposed toggle members carried by the body and adapted to extend beyond the wall of the inner casing when in horizontal position, said members cooperating with the walls ot said holes during a longitudinal translation oi the device to form screen apertures in the outer casing wall, and means yieldingly urging the toggle members to horizontal position.

5. A well-screen forming device including a body adapted to be longitudinally translated in a double-wall well casing having longitudinal rows of holes in its inner wall, a plurality of diametrically disposed superposed toggle members pivoted in the body and adapted to extend beyond the inner wall when in horizontal position, said members cooperating with the walls of said holes during a longitudinal translation of the device to simultaneously form a plurality of screen apertures in the outer casing wall, and means yieldingly urging the toggle members to horizontal position.

6. A well-screen forming device including a body adapted to be longitudinally translated in a double-wall well casing having longitudinal rows of holes in its inner wall, a plurality of diametrically disposed superposed pawls pivoted in the body to swing vertically above and below a horizontal position and adapted when in horizontal position to extend beyond the inner casing wall7 said pawls cooperating with the walls of said holes during a longitudinal translation or' the device to simultaneously forni a plurality of screen apertures in the outer casing wall, and means yieldingly urging the pawls to horizontal position.

7. A well-screen forming device including a body adapted to be longitudinally translated in double-wall well casing having longitudinal rows of holes in its inner wall, a plurality of diametrically disposed superposed pawls pivoted in the body to swing vertically above and below a horizontal position and adapted when in horizontal position to extend beyond the inner casing wall, said pawls cooperating with the walls of said holes during a longitudinal translation of the device to simultaneously iiorm a plurality of screen apertures in the outer casing wall, and means compelling the pawls to operate in unison.

8. A well-screen forming device including a body adapted to be longitudinally translated in a double-wall well casing having longitudinal rows of holes in its inner wall, a plurality of diametrically disposed superposed pawls pivoted in the body to swing vertically above and below a horizontal position and adapted when in horizontal position to extend beyond the inner casing wall, said pawls cooperating with the walls of said holes during a longitudinal translation of the device to simultaneously' form a plurality of screen lapertures ini the outer casing wall, a bar pivotally connected to the several superposed pawls, and spring means connected to the bar and urging the pawls to horizontal position.

9. A well-screen forming device including a body adapted to be longitudinally translated in a double-wall well casing havinglongitudinal rows of holes in its inner wall, an independent toothed locator wheel diametrically disposed in the body to rotate in a vertical plane with its teeth spaced to engage the holes in the inner casing, diametrically disposed toggle members carried by theloody in vertical alignment with said wheel and adapted to extend beyond the wall of the inner casing when in horizontal position, said members cooperating wit-h the walls oit said holes during a longitudinal translation of the device to form screen apertures in the outer casing wall. y l0. A well-screen forming device including a body adapted to be longitudinally translated in a double-wall well casing having longitudinal rows of holes in its inner wall, guide rollers carried by the body and maintaining the device centrally positioned within the well casing, an independent toothed locator wheel diametrically disposed in the body to rotate in a vertical plane With its teeth spaoed to have a rack and tion, Said paWls cooperating With the Walls pinion engagement With said holes, diaof .said holes in the inner casing and be 10 metrioally positioned paWls pivoted` in the forced therethrough during a longitudinal n body in superposed relationyto swing verti-V translation vof t the device to form y'screen cally past a horizontal position, said paWls apertures inthe outer casing Wall. f

being vertically aligned with said toothed' vSigned at South Pasadena, Cal. this 12th Wheel and adapted to project beyond the day of April 1923; inner easing Wall When in horizontal posi MAHLON E. LAYNE. y 

